New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-06-17
PRICE THREE CENTS.
THE PRESIDENT BACKS DOWN
REBEL FLAGS TO BE LEFT ALONE.
Resembling THE ORDER TO RESTORE
THEM TO TIE SOUTH.

THE ENTIRE COUNTRY STIRRED Up OVER THE
PROPOSED SURRENDER OF THE CAPrUREI
TR0PHIEs-INDIGNANT PROTESTS FROM
STATE EXECUTIVES TELEGRAPnED TO
| wAsHINGTON-MR CLEvELANDs
ACTION DENOUNCED BY THE
VETERANS EVERYWHERE.
WASHINGTON, June 16.-1he President has con
cluded to refrain frem the execution OF his OrdeI
to surrender the rebel flags because ne finds that
he Is restrained by law. It would that his
first intimation that there was a law on this
subject was derived from the columns of The
TRIBUNE According to the letter the reports from
the War Department related chiefly to the place OF
storage Of the captured rebel flags. Mr.. Cleveland
In his letter says:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON. d. CO.
have to-day considered with more care than when
the subject was orally presented to the action OF
your Department directing letters to be addressed the
to the HSn ns in
Of the Rebellion by the Confederate forces and aerwad
Of which for many years have been packed id
the War Department ami Of the opinion that the re-.
turn OF these flags in the manner thus contemplated is
not authorized by existing law nor justified as an execu
tive act request. therefore. that further step be
taken In the ~ matter except to examine and Inventory
ton Any direction as to the iual disposition OF them
should originate with Congress- Yours truly
GROVER CLEVELAND
1t is understood that this letter is the product
of the deliberations Of the Cabinet to-day at which
all the members were present except Secretary
Endscott and Secretary Whitney. Probably it
was an unprecedented thing for the President 10
revoke order issued by the head of department.
after consultation with the Executive in the ab-
sence Of the head of that Department, but then
Mr. Cleveland probably never carefully examined
tho laws relating to trophies of war;
If he had turned to the act of April ls, 1914,
before giving the oral order for the restoration Oh
the rebel flags, he would have found that all flags,
standards and colors taken by the Army and Navy
of the United States shall be preserved and
displayed in such public place he the Presidency
shall deem proper at the seat Of government.
II Mr.. Cleveland had pursued the study of law
stu further he would have found Joint resolution
Of Congress approved by President Arthur on
February 10, 1885, which authorizes and directs
the Secretary Of War to deliver to the eth New
York Heavy Artillery Association the regimental
coiors which belonged to said artillery and which
were captured by the Confederate forces in 1861
and are now in the custody of the Office of tho
Adutant General Of the United States Army. lo
such a law necessary TO bring ncaptured
Union colors back to the regiment to which they
belonged of course it was quite as necessary that
the return Of captured Confederate colOB should
be authorized by law.
President Cleveland's revocation of the ordcr
to restore the rebel battle flags comes too late.
He rescinded the order most reluctantly, and 10
was simply and solely because the eXecut on OF 10
In his opinion would be violation of law. There
is reason to believe that the Cabinet unanimous
IN favor of the reversal of the order 1t well might
be- When TRIBUNE correspondent called on
fcI IA Ia th0 (ohi
was in session, he found nothing to indicate that
the order woulI be rescinded. General Dunn
indeed appeared to consider that the Administration
had done wise thing and that its action would
receive popular approval. After he had read
General Fairchild's speech and been informed that
LEGAL proceedings were about to be instituted 10
enioin the Secretary OF War from delivering tie
iags he remarked that he was glad that the matter
was to be brought before the courts, because that
decision would settle tho whole question ILo
Adhitant-G General no more than the President
seemed to think that anything except legal
technically was at stake. The cor espOndent
asked General Drum for permission to make a list
Of the rebel flags which had been captured by
Now-Yorx regiments. General Drum cautiously
refused the permission. He then asked If hd
would allow the correspondent to see those Has
lie refused TO do that, although he knew that the
correspondent Is man WHO scrNcu lhiou5H '"o
war on the Union side The correspondent then
appealed to the Acting Secretary of War, General
Benet, who was too busy to see him in person.
General Benet in consultation with General
Drum ut the time, and General Drum explained that
to allow q person to visit the room in which thc
flags were deposited would interfere with the clerks
who are engaged in asserting them. his eK-
planatiOn was so satisfactory TO the Actin, Secie-
taEy OF War that THE TRIBUNE correspondent was
not allowed to visit the sacred Erccincts IN eN-
[ Union officer, who was permitted 10 enter tic
room two days ago. before THE TRIBUNE Took
this matter up, says that there were no clerks az
work there. There is the best reason also for
SAYING that ex-Confederate officers who were IN
Washington during the National Drill were pcr-
mitted to inspect the flags.
An effort Is being made to make II appear thas
the President acted by inadvertencc, and thao
General Drum is responsible. The best answer 10
this is the declaration of General Drum himselfs
who Is an old Army officer with a long and credlta-
le record He says that the President recom-
mended the return of the flags. In an interview
published to-day he also said The action Is
not due to any pressure or any suggestion from
,ny outside source. The idea orie mated with tho
1t had been in contemplation In
Tie Department for some considerable time. zen
eral Drum has been for many years IN the Regular
Army and understands thoroughly the duties Oh
an Adjutantticneral who can only execute orders
TO him by his superior oihcer. No
natter if the order disastefu to him personally
,r was contrary to his judgment, it was General
Drums duty to execute it,
There is "a great deal of criticism tonight OF the
Presidents letter. because he shields himself behind
what he admits TO be question as = his authonW
t., order tie return of the rebel Hags Nowhere
ioes he int that the order would have bcen
except for the barrier interrosed by law
in other words, the Presidents desire to return
hc rebel flags was only less strong than tie law
which prevented their return
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS STILL NECESSARY.
All day Messrs. Shellebarger and Boutwell, VINO